Venezuelan bishops urge
prosecutors to uphold human rights in the face of violations
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| People fleeing the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela wait for food assistance on the Colombia border (AFP) |
The Justice and Peace Commission of Venezuela’s Bishops’
Conference is calling on Police Forces to respect rules enshrined in the
Constitution to protect human rights.
By Linda Bordoni
Venezuela’s bishops have condemned what they say are
violations of fundamental human rights by the country’s Police Forces and
called on Public Prosecutors to exercise their powers in the name of justice.
A statement released by the country’s Catholic Justice
and Peace Commission on Tuesday decries “recent raids, seizures and
detentions” carried out by security forces against members of NGOs whose
mission is to protect human rights.
The statement emphasizes continued violations on the part of
police, in particular regarding the right to health, “especially the provision
of medicines to patients with chronic and serious diseases”.
It points out a large part of those medicines have been
donated by international donors in an attempt to assist the vulnerable
population that finds itself in the throes of a humanitarian emergency.
The Commission says its appeal to public prosecutors is
based on the Gospel and on the Social Doctrine of the Church, as well as on
Venezuela’s Constitution.
Rights enshrined in the Constitution
The bishops say they “reject and condemn violations of
fundamental rights in accordance with Articles 83 and 84 of the Magna Carta”
pointing out that those Articles demand the State respect its obligations to
guarantee all citizens’ inherent right to life.
The title of their statement is “Blessed are those who are
persecuted for doing what is right, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
It is signed by the President of the Venezuelan Justice and
Peace Commission, Archbishop Emeritus of Coro, Robert Luckert, and by the
Commission’s Vicar General, Father Saul Ron Braasch.
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